Topic: Prompted by faith
Text: Hebrews 11
Key verse: [Prompted] by faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who refused to believe and obey because she had received the spies in peace [without enmity].
The grace of God amazes me, it saves anyone who meets the criteria, irrespective of your past.
God’s requirement is never burdensome, it is simple enough for a child to believe and yet so complex that the learned can not understand except through faith.
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Believing that there is a God who is behind the supernatural victories the Israelites had experienced on their way out of Egypt was easy for Rahab, she received faith just by listening to stories told in Jericho about them. We also hear testimonies of what God has done for others and it does not produce faith in us because we don’t go on to believe that God
… rewards those who sincerely seek him
Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. 9 “I know the Lord has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. 10 For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea[b] when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. Joshua 2:8-10
Though Rahab was a prostitute, she had faith to believe God for deliverance. She responded to the prompting of her heart to assist the spies with the hope that she could earn the favor that would save her entire household.
The same way that what you hear produces fear, even so hearing the truth of God’s word produces faith.
Faith can come in the form of prompts in our hearts. The rich woman of Shunnem did not wait for anyone to talk to her about God’s ability to raise the dead, she simply took the dead child to the prophet believing in her heart that she would get her son back alive. God honored her faith.
Prompted by faith Mary asked the servants at the wedding in Galilee to obey Jesus’ instructions. The miracle of water turned to wine happened because she responded to the need and believed that God could grant them their desire in response to faith and obedience.
Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. James 2:25
Your actions reveal whether you have faith or not. The little boy gave away his loaves and fish to Jesus by faith, not knowing what the outcome will be. We must be prepared in these last days to put God\’s power to work by allowing our hearts to be stirred by the spirit of God.
You don’t need to wait for the Lord to command or compel you to do anything by faith. Respond to faith prompts in your heart and not unbelief. You don’t need to know how it will work, just let God handle that for you.
Rahab’s faith did not save her alone, but her entire household. Whose miracle is waiting for your obedience, it takes faith to please God, it takes faith to receive from God.
Respond to prompts to pray for the sick, share the gospel, or give a sacrificial gift to another. Some of us who have prophetic gifts have simply left them dormant because we are unwilling to act in faith. God is wanting to reward your faith with a harvest of miracles in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Roses&Thorns
